NHL Draft Prospect Profile #40: Jordan Schmaltz

Jordan Schmaltz has had what some would describe as a very tumultuous year. At the start the season he began his second full year in the USHL playing for the Sioux City musketeers. However he would soon give the team a trade request and would end up traded to the defending Clark Cup Champion Green Bay Gamblers. There were also very public rumors that he would be headed to play for the Windsor Spitfires in the OHL, and would be reneging on his commitment to join North Dakota next season. Schmaltz would deny this rumor and remains committed to play for the North Dakota Fighting Sioux. Despite all this Turmoil, Schmaltz went about his business and was an offensive force for Green Bay this season. He’s a big reason why they are currently in the Clark Cup Final, tied at 2 games a piece against the Waterloo Blackhawks. He is another talented American defenceman in a class full of guys like Brady Skjei, and Jacob Trouba.

Schmaltz is yet another offensively talented defenceman in this year’s class. His passing is superb, especially in the offensive zone. He makes crisp, hard tape to tape spaces, and is able to thread the needle through some tight passing lanes. Schmaltz really excels setting up his teammates on the PP. His shot is not the hardest in the draft, but he does have above average power behind it. However what Schmaltz is really good at is keeping his shot low and accurate and getting it on net and through traffic. This can lead to tip ins and rebound goals for his teammates.

Schmaltz’s skating is a work in progress. His stride is long and he generates decent top end speed. He is also agile and changes direction well, and makes good pivots. He could stand to work on his acceleration, balance, and strength on his skates, which are all below average for his draft ranking.

In the defensive end of the rink Schmaltz is good positionally. You can definitely see that he has a high hockey IQ and understands the defensive aspect of the game. He has a quick stick and is good at poke checking the puck off of a defender. However Schmaltz really needs to bulk up to be an effective defender. He has the ideal height, but really needs to put some muscle on his 6’3″ 175 lb frame. He gets beaten in board battles by bigger stronger forwards, and is often beaten down low by a strong cycle game. However given his good positioning, this is something that should improve with added size, and a college schedule with more time to get into the weight room would be perfect for a prospect like Schmaltz.

Schmaltz is a bit of a project, but he has the ideal height that NHL teams look for and a ton of offensive skill, which should make him an early pick in the NHL Draft. We’d compare Schmaltz’s high end potential to Keith Yandle of the Phoenix Coyotes, however it may take a few years before he can begin to reach this level of play.